Voyager Sopris Learning's LETRS Professional Development Solution Selected By Caddo Parish Public Schools In Shreveport, La.

DALLAS, Nov. 29, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Voyager Sopris Learning ® announced today their LETRS® professional development solution, which offers a decade of demonstrated success focusing on raising preK-12 literacy achievement for all learners, has been selected by Caddo Parish Public Schools as part of the Shreveport, La.-based district's multi-year plan to improve the reading skills of its K-3 students.

LETRS ( Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), authored by Louisa Moats, Ed.D., provides educators with deep foundational knowledge necessary to understand how students learn to read, write and spell, and lends unique insight into why some of them struggle.

LETRS has been implemented in 38 of the district's elementary schools to significantly boost students' reading levels, according to Dr. Carolyn Gore of Caddo Parish Public Schools. Dr. Gore, who has been the district's literacy coach for the past 12 years, said the LETRS-based training of K-3 teachers will continue through the school year.

"What LETRS author Dr. Louisa Moats says makes absolutely perfect sense to me. I trust her work and what she's trying to do to take teachers to a deeper understanding of the process of learning to read," Dr. Gore said. "Our district is not performing at a level where it needs to be, which is why we've implemented our five-year plan. Our teachers are really pleased to be able to get this real-world, relevant professional development training."

"This is all about boosting students' literacy achievement," said Jeffrey A. Elliott, President, Voyager Sopris Learning. "The skills the Caddo Parish teachers learn in our professional development training can be taken back to the classroom and implemented immediately."

"We look forward to following the literacy gains and progress at Caddo Parish Public Schools, and applaud them for taking the important step of helping their instructors become better teachers," Elliott continued. "By helping students develop improved reading skills and concept mastery, these educators are giving their students a better chance at success in all academic areas—and a brighter future."